"Let the River Run"

Brazil's Indigenous Peoples Fight for Their Rights Along the Xingu and in Río

Construction of the Belo Monte monster dam poses a serious threat to the indigenous communities that live along the majestic Xingu River. The fight to defend the territories and rights of the Xikrin, Juruna, Arara, Kayapó and other indigenous peoples heated up before, during, and after the Río+20 Earth Summit, in Río de Janeiro from June 20th to 22nd.

Amazon Watch, together with its partners International Rivers and Rainforest Action Network, sent a team in early June to help ensure the voices of indigenous leaders were heard in the media, and to provide other strategic support. The following posts include related blogs, press releases, and media articles.

After 35 days of protests and 11 days of occupation, the indigenous peoples and traditional groups occupying the Belo Monte construction site have left, with their heads held high. Most of them were heard for the very first time; and that fact alone was already a sign of victory.

With my heart racing and under a light rain, I climb up the Pimental cofferdam, together with the indigenous warriors who are writing their own history here. Within minutes the raised earthen dam bed is taken by people who have lived here much longer than we can imagine.

Altamira, Brazil – Yesterday some 120 indigenous demonstrators from the Xipaia, Kuruaia, Parakanã, Arara, Juruna and Assurini peoples united with a group of fishermen who have maintained a steadfast 24-day occupation of the Belo Monte dam's main work camp, paralyzing construction.

The decision partially upheld an appeal by the Federal Public Ministry and annulled one of the biggest affronts to the Federal Constitution and to the International Labor Organization Convention 169 committed by the Brazilian government in the last years.

"Human rights and environmental protection cannot be subordinated to narrow business interests."

August 15, 2012

Altamira, Brazil – A high-level court yesterday suspended construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam project on the Amazon's Xingu River, citing overwhelming evidence that indigenous people had not been properly consulted prior to government approval of the project.

I don't want to be pessimistic, but I'm a Brazilian lawyer, and I have lost faith in our justice system. We should all hope that this decision will endure, but be prepared that at any minute, it can again be overturned.

Initially, my plan wasn't to disrupt the meeting, but I couldn't bite my tongue as claims were made about Brazil achieving "zero deforestation" with a great sustainable development plan. So I stood up and told the truth.

"Nothing has been resolved. The talks ended with no agreement with our communities."

July 12, 2012

Altamira, Brazil – Indigenous communities of the middle Xingu ended their occupation of the Belo Monte dam's main cofferdam following two days of talks with Norte Energia. The action brought a notable level of national and international visibility to their concerns over the project's impacts on their health, livelihoods and environment, and forced the Brazilian government and Norte Energia to take these concerns seriously.

Altamira, Brazil – Indigenous leaders representing six tribes affected by the Belo Monte Dam complex along the Amazon's Xingu River sent a letter today to President Dilma Rousseff and other government authorities calling for immediate suspension of the controversial project's Installation License.

The indigenous-led occupation of the main Belo Monte dam construction site is a key battleground for the future of the entire Amazon rainforest. It is powerful to be here on the ground supporting indigenous peoples in amplifying their voices.

Today was marked by the arrival of nearly 30 Parakana leaders. In all, 17 indigenous villages from six different ethnicities are currently represented at the occupation demanding that construction of the Belo Monte dam stop.

A confrontation between the insatiable appetite for energy and the enduring need for habitability is under way in Brazil as it moves aggressively to harness the power of its rivers with plans for dozens of hydroelectric dams.

The meeting with Norte Energia failed to reach any agreement. The Xikrin, the Arara and the Juruna of the Big Bend are still occupying the site, and we are calling for support to allow us to bring more of our people to join the occupation.

Imagine that your livelihood, community, and entire culture are facing imminent destruction from the Belo Monte dam. International bodies have repeatedly sounded the alarm, yet the project advances with the force of a thousand bulldozers. What do you do?

In the final days of the Rio+20 Earth Summit, several hundred indigenous people affected by the Belo Monte Dam began an occupation of the construction site. The occupation is gaining strength as more inhabitants join the blockade.

Even as world leaders signed off on new commitments to sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro last week, Brazilian politicians were debating a bill that would open up the nation's vast indigenous territories for mining.

Nearly 1500 people used Rio's Flamengo Beach as a canvas. Their bodies formed the lines of an enormous image promoting the importance of free-running rivers, truly clean energy sources like solar power and including indigenous knowledge as part of the solution to climate issues.

Nearly 1500 people used Rio’s Flamengo Beach as a canvas. Their bodies formed the lines of an enormous image promoting the importance of free-running rivers, truly clean energy and including indigenous knowledge as part of the solution to climate issues.

Seeing the majestic Xingu River being dammed is heartbreaking; this morning, there was hope. Today's daring grassroots action was one of the most inspirational acts of resistance I have witnessed in 15 years as Executive Director.

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Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. We partner with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.